The afterlife is a much contested issue, with the idea of bodies containing souls and life after death a strong belief for many people.

For others, death is death, with no belief in heaven or hell, or any paranormal activity. But a chilling new study has revealed some people may actually be able to hear their own death being announced.

Of course, the only way to truly know what happens after death is to die, but some people are able to tell the world of their experiences after being resuscitated.

These six spooky tales, as reported in The Mirror, are from people who took to Reddit to tell others what it's really like to die - and then come back from the dead.

1. Like reading a book

The only way to truly know what happens after death is to die (Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images))

Five years ago, monitormonkey underwent major surgery during which he bled out, causing him die for several minutes.

"I woke up in what looked like space but there weren't any stars or light. I wasn't floating so to speak, I was just there.

"I wasn't hot or cold, hungry or tired - just a peaceful neutral kind of thing. I knew there was light and love somewhere nearby but I had no urge or need to go to it right away.

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"I remember thinking over my life, but it wasn't like a montage. More like I was idly flipping through a book and snippets stood out here and there.

"Whatever it was, it changed my thoughts on a few things. I am still afraid to die, but I'm not worried about what happens after that."

2. A visit from someone dear

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Schneidah7 was thrown from his motorbike while cruising at 50 mph and was medically dead when he was taken to hospital. As he lay in the road before the ambulance came, he recalled someone he knew encouraging him.

"I just remember being on the pavement and things slowly going black and quiet.

"The only reason I didn't fall asleep was because of a bizarre moment where I heard someone yelling, 'Ranger up you candy f***! Come on man, get up. Get up. GET UP!'

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"It's difficult to describe but I got the feeling I could choose if I wanted to stay or leave, but every time I tried to go back I was held in place.

"I went through all the reasons I wanted to go back, and when I told the presence I didn't want to abandon my mother whatever held me finally let go.

"I snapped back into my body. My heart had stopped for six minutes."

4. Hitting snooze

As a teenager, TheDeadManWalks had been going through months of chemotherapy when his nose started bleeding uncontrollably. Due to a sepsis and Clostridium difficile infection, his condition worsened, and he slipped in and out of death.

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Cardiac arrest survivors were aware of what was going on around them while they were 'dead' - including seeing doctors trying to save them or hearing conversations - before being 'brought back to life', the study revealed.

It means that a person may even hear their time of death being announced by medics as they are essentially 'trapped' inside their body with brain function.